Feces Found in Cilantro has Sickened Hundreds

"Hold the cilantro" is what you might want to say after reading this. Apparently, More than 380 people in 26 U.S. states have been diagnosed with a stomach illness tied to Mexican cilantro contaminated by human waste.

The FDA said it suspects the contamination came from "contact with the parasite shed from the intestinal tract of humans" in the growing fields, contaminated water or harvesting, processing and packing activities. It causes diarrhea, nausea and fatigue which can last several weeks to a month or more if untreated.

Preliminary results indicate cases in Texas and Wisconsin can be traced to cilantro from the state of Puebla, Mexico, which was supplied to restaurants at which some of those who became ill dined, the FDA said Tuesday in an updated posting on its website.

U.S. and Mexican health authorities investigated 11 farms and packing houses in Puebla and discovered human feces and toilet paper in fields and found that some of the farms had no running water or toilet facilities, the FDA said. Problems were found at eight firms, including five that were linked to the U.S. outbreaks.

The FDA has imposed a partial ban on cilantro from the region, accepting it for import into the U.S. only from approved companies during the summer months.

Long story short....be careful when ordering cilantro. It may taste like s**t.